Local Information for NEPLS

Friday, 6/24/2005

Williams College, Williamstown, MA


The next NEPLS Symposium will be at Williams College on Friday, June 24, 2005.

All presentations will be given in the Wege Lecture Hall in Room 123 Thompson Chemistry (and Computer Science) Lab. Lunches (vegetarian and non-vegetarian) will be provided to participants who inform us in advance that they will be attending.


Directions

Driving to Williamstown

Driving directions to Williams College are available on-line. We are about 3 hours from both Boston and New York, 2+ hours from Hartford, and about 1 hour from Albany.

Once on Campus

The attached campus map should help you find your way around the Williams Campus. Anyone on campus should be able to tell you where the Thompson Science Laboratories are located (but be sure to mention "Science" as there is also a Thompson Health Center!). Detailed directions to the meeting follow.

To get to the Computer Science Department from Main Street (Route 2) from the East, drive through the middle of campus past Spring Street, Lab Campus Drive, and Hoxsey Street. Turn left on Stetson Court. If you are coming from the west on Main Street (Route 2), then turn right on Stetson Court, which is the first right after the town square.

Go about 1/2 block on Stetson Court, past the Jewish Religious Center (white Mediterranean building) and a house, and then turn left into a big parking lot. Once you are in the lot, turn left and park as far down as possible (as close to the Bronfman Science Center as possible - see the map).

Walk across Hoxsey Street and walk between the Bronfman Science Center ('60's looking brick building) and Clark Hall (old brick building). This will bring you to the science quad. To the right beyond Bronfman will be the Thompson Science Labs. Enter the big glass atrium. There will be signs to direct you to the Wege Lecture Hall, which is up 1/2 flight of stairs and to the right. The Computer Science Department is on the third floor of that building.

If there is not space in that lot, additional public parking is available in several lots at the end of Spring Street, on the other side of the Science Center.

Refreshments

We will provide a light continental breakfast, lunch, and snacks for the afternoon break on Friday.


Restaurants

Even though Williamstown only has about 8000 people, we have over twenty restaurants in town (the advantages of being a tourist area!), and some are quite good.


Lodging

For those wishing to spend some time exploring the Berkshires, lodging is available in town, I recommend the bed and breakfasts within walking distance of the campus. If you are interested in luxury (and a price that reflects it), try The Orchards, which is about a mile east of the campus.


Things to See and Do

Williamstown and the Berkshires are popular tourist destinations. Most summer cultural activities don't start up until toward the end of June, but there are lots of things to do and see in the area. If the weather is good, hiking is a great activity, with lots of trails, including the Appalachian trail, and Mt. Greylock, the tallest mountain in Massachusetts in the area. Otherwise, there are 3 very fine art museums either in Williamstown or within 5 miles.


Questions can be sent to freund@cs.williams.edu